Chapter 6
The silence was almost deafening and Anna wondered if she had died, her eyelids felt heavy and she couldn't open her eyes, she couldn't move at all. She panicked as a thought came into her head,
"I'm paralysed!" She thought desperately
Her body was totally exhausted but then somehow she managed to lift her hand to her face, pressing it lightly against her forehead to ease the throbbing pain. With her chest heaving from the effort she slowly sat up then opened her eyes and suddenly a deafening roar erupted in her ears. She saw Nina sprawled on her back, then realised that the loud noise that drilled into her sore head was the audience. Anna's eyes widened in shock and she sat in the middle of the arena slightly dazed, Kunimistu knelt beside her and helped her to her feet.
"You did it, Anna" Kunimitsu exclaimed, her voice was full of admiration.
The words took a moment to sink in as Anna leaned on her friend, her legs stumbled underneath her and she felt shaky and sore all over but a wide smile spread across her face.
Anna was led out of the arena and she looked back over her shoulder to see two medics with a stretcher taking her sister away. Nina looked so fragile and Anna felt a little stab of sympathy, she hardly noticed all the passing people giving their congratulations.
Kunimitsu accompanied Anna to her room and dragged her through the doorway as she suddenly collapsed. She lay Anna on her bed and watched as her faithful pet jumped up beside her and curled up against her shoulder, the cat seemed to understand that she was not well.
Anna woke with a jolt. She blinked a few times as she realised she was back in her room and tried to recall what had happened. A soft groan escaped her lips as she tried to get up, her whole body was aching and her head pounding. It was now dark outside her window and rain pelted against the glass. She trudged into the kitchen and fumbled for the light switch, the bright light hurt her eyes and she squinted against it as she reached for some painkillers. Briefly Anna wondered if Nina was okay and glanced at the clock, it was nearly seven pm and she would be back in her own room by now. Anna pondered going to visit her but decided against it, Nina would probably be really pissed off and she was already scary enough when she was just being normal. Leaving the kitchen she made her way to the bathroom, thinking that maybe a nice hot shower would help her aching muscles. Anna shut the door and undressed, piling some clean clothes neatly beside the basin ready for when she got out, then turned on the water. The hot spray was relaxing and she closed her eyes, Anna washed her hair and the rest of her body then just stood under the water letting it sooth the painful swelling of her elbow and her tired bones. After a long while Anna dragged herself out and quickly wrapped a towel around her shoulders before the heat could escape, Anna reached for her clothes, dropping the towel as she did so, but to her surprise and horror the door opened! Anna whirled around and saw Nina in the doorway clutching a Polaroid camera, Anna covered herself up as well as she could just as Nina clicked the button and took a photo. Nina threw back her head and laughed
"This is payback for beating me today," she giggled as Anna stood there with her mouth hanging open in shock.
"Get out!" Anna screamed and grabbed the closest object she could find, which happened to be a hairbrush, and threw it at her sister, the brush hit the wall just beside Nina and clattered to the floor as she turned heel and ran out of the room still laughing.
Anna hastily pulled on some clothes and went after Nina, but was stopped when she ran into Kazuya in the hallway.
"I'm sorry I was just…" Anna trailed off.
Kazuya raised a brow and amusement flickered in his dark eyes and he waved it off,
"No problem, I was looking for you" He smiled an unusually kind smile, which Anna returned politely.
"Would you like to go out to dinner?" He continued slowly
Anna blinked once as if his invitation confused her, but accepted.
"I'll meet you downstairs in say, half an hour?"
"Great!" Anna replied, wishing she hadn't sounded so excited.
Twenty minutes later Kazuya stood at the foot of the stairs waiting for Anna, dressed smartly but casually in a crisp white shirt and baggy, light blue jeans. The sound of soft footsteps made him turn to see Anna descending the stairs, she looked stunning, wearing a pretty dress the colour of sunshine with sandals and earrings to match and a slightly fluffy cream jacket over her bare shoulders.
"May I say, you look lovely" Kazuya greeted
Anna moistened her lips which were suddenly dry
"Thank you" she managed to say, totally surprised by the compliment spoken so sincerely.
She felt a blush creep up her cheeks and judging by the amused smile on Kazuya's face, it hadn't gone unnoticed.
The silence was almost deafening and Anna wondered if she had died, her eyelids felt heavy and she couldn't open her eyes, she couldn't move at all. She panicked as a thought came into her head,
"I'm paralysed!" She thought desperately
Her body was totally exhausted but then somehow she managed to lift her hand to her face, pressing it lightly against her forehead to ease the throbbing pain. With her chest heaving from the effort she slowly sat up then opened her eyes and suddenly a deafening roar erupted in her ears. She saw Nina sprawled on her back, then realised that the loud noise that drilled into her sore head was the audience. Anna's eyes widened in shock and she sat in the middle of the arena slightly dazed, Kunimistu knelt beside her and helped her to her feet.
"You did it, Anna" Kunimitsu exclaimed, her voice was full of admiration.
The words took a moment to sink in as Anna leaned on her friend, her legs stumbled underneath her and she felt shaky and sore all over but a wide smile spread across her face.
Anna was led out of the arena and she looked back over her shoulder to see two medics with a stretcher taking her sister away. Nina looked so fragile and Anna felt a little stab of sympathy, she hardly noticed all the passing people giving their congratulations.
Kunimitsu accompanied Anna to her room and dragged her through the doorway as she suddenly collapsed. She lay Anna on her bed and watched as her faithful pet jumped up beside her and curled up against her shoulder, the cat seemed to understand that she was not well.
Anna woke with a jolt. She blinked a few times as she realised she was back in her room and tried to recall what had happened. A soft groan escaped her lips as she tried to get up, her whole body was aching and her head pounding. It was now dark outside her window and rain pelted against the glass. She trudged into the kitchen and fumbled for the light switch, the bright light hurt her eyes and she squinted against it as she reached for some painkillers. Briefly Anna wondered if Nina was okay and glanced at the clock, it was nearly seven pm and she would be back in her own room by now. Anna pondered going to visit her but decided against it, Nina would probably be really pissed off and she was already scary enough when she was just being normal. Leaving the kitchen she made her way to the bathroom, thinking that maybe a nice hot shower would help her aching muscles. Anna shut the door and undressed, piling some clean clothes neatly beside the basin ready for when she got out, then turned on the water. The hot spray was relaxing and she closed her eyes, Anna washed her hair and the rest of her body then just stood under the water letting it sooth the painful swelling of her elbow and her tired bones. After a long while Anna dragged herself out and quickly wrapped a towel around her shoulders before the heat could escape, Anna reached for her clothes, dropping the towel as she did so, but to her surprise and horror the door opened! Anna whirled around and saw Nina in the doorway clutching a Polaroid camera, Anna covered herself up as well as she could just as Nina clicked the button and took a photo. Nina threw back her head and laughed
"This is payback for beating me today," she giggled as Anna stood there with her mouth hanging open in shock.
"Get out!" Anna screamed and grabbed the closest object she could find, which happened to be a hairbrush, and threw it at her sister, the brush hit the wall just beside Nina and clattered to the floor as she turned heel and ran out of the room still laughing.
Anna hastily pulled on some clothes and went after Nina, but was stopped when she ran into Kazuya in the hallway.
"I'm sorry I was just…" Anna trailed off.
Kazuya raised a brow and amusement flickered in his dark eyes and he waved it off,
"No problem, I was looking for you" He smiled an unusually kind smile, which Anna returned politely.
"Would you like to go out to dinner?" He continued slowly
Anna blinked once as if his invitation confused her, but accepted.
"I'll meet you downstairs in say, half an hour?"
"Great!" Anna replied, wishing she hadn't sounded so excited.
Twenty minutes later Kazuya stood at the foot of the stairs waiting for Anna, dressed smartly but casually in a crisp white shirt and baggy, light blue jeans. The sound of soft footsteps made him turn to see Anna descending the stairs, she looked stunning, wearing a pretty dress the colour of sunshine with sandals and earrings to match and a slightly fluffy cream jacket over her bare shoulders.
"May I say, you look lovely" Kazuya greeted
Anna moistened her lips which were suddenly dry
"Thank you" she managed to say, totally surprised by the compliment spoken so sincerely.
She felt a blush creep up her cheeks and judging by the amused smile on Kazuya's face, it hadn't gone unnoticed.